


Memories of Snow

by masadora



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, IDOLiSH7 Flash Bang 2018, brief appearances of the last three, just Nanase Kyoudai family feels, plus TRG having a dumb moment in between
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 22:08:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16819420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masadora/pseuds/masadora
Summary: For as long as he can remember, Tenn’s always been the one to look after Riku.He never thought he’d be the one to get sick this time.





	Memories of Snow

“Please turn around, Kujou-san! Let me take a picture.”

IDOLiSH7, TRIGGER and Re:vale were all on the mountain for one of the _NEXT Re:vale_ events, but the resort’s grounds were big, and Tenn had found himself alone with Riku and IDOLiSH7’s manager for the afternoon. He patted at the snow-rabbits he’d made, then looked over his shoulder to aim a well-practiced, idol-sweet smile for Tsumugi’s camera.

_Click!_

“Looking good! I’m sure that the fans will enjoy these photos – see, I got some of Riku-san as well.”

Tsumugi flicked through the camera until it stopped at a photo of Riku pushing a gigantic snowball along the ground, his cheeks red from the cold and puffed out in determination. “I offered to help,” she continued, “But he told me that he wanted to make it by himself.”

“It’s a new experience. We didn’t get to do this kind of thing together when we were young,” Tenn’s voice softened. “The most I could do was leave tiny snowmen by his hospital windowsill. I suppose he wants to be ambitious, with the first one _he_ got to make.”

Both of them looked across the snowy field, where Riku was still hard at work. He’d somehow managed to stack the giant snowballs on top of each other – resulting in a snowman almost as tall as him. Now and then, he’d pause to grab his shovel and pat at the base to make sure that it’s steady.

After double-checking his creation’s carrot nose and bucket hat, Riku turned towards them and began to wave excitedly. “Tenn-nii! Manager! Look, I’m done!”

“It looks amazing, Riku-san. I’ll take a picture of you, too!”

Tsumugi raised her camera, but Tenn’s attention was on the red plaid scarf wrapped around the awkward joint between the snowman’s head and body. “Wait,” he stepped between them. “Riku, you took off your scarf for the _snowman?_ ”

“Oh! You noticed. Haha…” Riku rubbed at the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. “It didn’t look complete without one, you know? And I didn’t have an extra.”

“So you took your own scarf off?” He couldn’t help but worry. Truly, old habits die hard. “The cold air isn’t good for your throat.”

“I know, Tenn-nii,” Riku started to pout. “But I’ll be fine. It’s not windy today.”

“It’s still colder than you’re used to,” Tenn shot back. “What’s the point of drinking warm tea earlier, if you’re going to do this?”

He started to unwind the scarf from the snowman, because _surely_ it didn’t need such a trivial decoration – but then Riku’s expression fell, and Tenn found his own resolve crumbling.

“...Here,” He removed his own scarf instead, wrapping it carefully around Riku and fussing as he smoothed out the wrinkles. The cold air hit him immediately, making Tenn sneeze, but he barely paid it any mind. “I’ll lend it to you for today. Don’t take this one off, okay?”

Slowy, Riku’s expression turned into a beaming smile. “Okay!”

Tsumugi snapped a picture of Riku posing proudly, then beckoned for Tenn to move in. “Let’s get a photo of our centers together,” she says. “It’ll be a good addition to the _Close Look! Idols on the Slope and in the Steam☆They Don’t…Come Dripping Down!? Special Program_ photo album!”

Tenn rolled his eyes. “Ugh, don’t say that ridiculous name again. I’m going to laugh.”

“But it’s perfect, isn’t it?” Riku said cheerfully, slinging an arm around Tenn’s shoulder. “There’s no better title for an event to show our fans what we’re like when we’re off work!”

_Click!_

After that happy photo was captured, Riku insisted on playing in the snow a bit longer. By the end of it, Tenn’s gloves were uncomfortably damp and no matter how he pulled up his jacket’s zipper up to his chin, the chilly air seemed to seep right through.

“Let’s go back inside.” There’s an uncomfortable ache at the back of his throat. Tenn ignored it, trying to hide the way his teeth was chattering, and ushered the other two along. “Riku, you should have some more hot tea.”

The next morning, he woke up with a pounding headache and a hoarse, scratchy voice.

“You look _terrible,_ ” Gaku said, as a way of greeting.

Tenn glared at him half-heartedly, lacking the energy to protest as Ryuu bustled around his room like a mother hen, boiling water and smoldering him under thick blankets. “You have a small fever,” he said. “Rest for today, Tenn.”

“I can’t just–”

“Stay put, brat.” Gaku pushed a mug of hot tea into his hands. “Didn’t you say that you finished almost all of your filming already? You can catch up on the rest tomorrow.”

Ryuu nodded. “We still have quite a bit to do, so we can’t stay. But there’s hot water in the thermos and medicine on the table! Call if you need us.”

What a nightmare this is, to get sick during a work trip! But even though Tenn didn’t want to admit it, rest was the best option – his headache was _awful_ , and no makeup would cover the dreadful pallor of his skin. It's better to catch up tomorrow, than to do a bad job now.

“Don’t tell anyone except Anesagi,” he grumbled, and burrowed under his blankets.

The door clicked shut, leaving him to doze off alone. When he woke up in the afternoon, he felt much better.

There’s also someone knocking on his door.

“Tenn-nii?” Riku called, plaintive. “Are you okay? I heard that you were sick.”

If he wasn’t awake before, he was now. Tenn fumbled for his phone, flipping open the TRIGGER group chat. _Why does Riku know?_ he sent. The response came almost instantaneously.

 _Gaku: I didn’t tell him._  
_Ryuu: Did Riku-kun come see you?_  
_Tenn: What did you do, Ryuu._  
_Ryuu: I know you said not to tell anyone, but Momo-san asked about your absence._  
_Gaku: So you told Momo-san...who must’ve told Nanase._  
_Ryuu: I’m sorry! But isn't it good to have someone check on you, Tenn? You looked so miserable this morning, I felt bad about leaving you alone._  
_[...]_  
_[...]_  
_Gaku: ...Did you kick him out again?_  
_Tenn: Yes._

“Tenn-nii!” Riku repeated, more insistently than before. “Are you there?”

“I’m fine! You didn’t need to come see me,” Tenn rasped, glaring balefully down at his phone. Gaku had invited Ryuu back into the chat.

 _Ryuu: I’m sorry, I think I accidentally left! All of a sudden, I couldn’t access this chat at all!_  
_Gaku: You never learn, do you._  
_Gaku: And, Tenn, it wouldn’t kill you to be more grateful. Ryuu's just worried about you._  
_[...]_  
_[...]_  
_Ryuu: Eh? Gaku suddenly left the chat!_  
_Ryuu: Hold on, Gaku! I’ll invite you back right away!_

Tenn tossed his phone onto the bed with a groan. Outside, Riku spoke again.

“Momo-san said that you have a fever, so I was worried! Let me in, Tenn-nii. I brought soup.”

“You can’t, Riku,” Tenn sighed. “If you come in, you’ll catch my cold.”

“My health is tons better now! Plus, I have a face mask.”

“That’s not enough, and you know it.”

On the other side, Riku stomped his feet. “It’ll be fine! You always looked after me whenever I got sick, whether it was at home or at the hospital. I want to do the same for you!”

Sometimes, Riku’s stubbornness is endearing. At other times, it’s frustrating. Being sick during a work trip is already bad enough, and having Riku here was the last thing he wanted. Tenn pressed his lips into a firm line. “You don’t need to.”

“But I want to!” Riku cried. “I just want to look after Tenn-nii, for once!”

His pleading was almost enough to convince Tenn. But it wouldn’t do – he’d made this mistake when he was younger.

He’ll never make it again.

“Do you remember,” he started, “That time I caught the flu, and you tried to sneak back in our room, even though mom said no?”

There’s a pause. When Riku answered, his tone is hesitant. “We were really young. I thought you would be lonely by yourself.”

“Right. And against my better judgement, I let you in.” Tenn closed his eyes, grimacing at the memory. “What happened after?”

“...I got sick…”

“You caught the flu from me and became hospitalized,” Tenn corrected sharply. “I got better before the end of the week. You nearly _died_.”

He’ll never forget how small and fragile Riku’s figure had looked on that hospital bed. His brother was _so much_ stronger now, a full-fledged professional in his own right and no longer the same child who could only cry and hold onto his hand. But even so, some things won’t change. And no matter how Tenn tried to distance himself, he knew that he’ll never, _ever_ be able to stop worrying about Riku’s well-being.

“Tenn-nii…”

“I won’t change my mind.”

The silence on the other side dragged on for so long, at first he thought that Riku must’ve left. Then, quietly, Riku asks, “Is there anything else I can do?”

“No.”

“...I understand.” His voice quivered a little. “Then I won't go in. I…” he's clearly trying to speak with his usual cheer, but each word comes out meek and dripping with misery. “Sorry if I bothered you, Tenn-nii. I'll...um, I’ll leave the soup here. Please drink it.”

There's the sound of a bowl being set down, then hurried footsteps.

“Wait!” Tenn called out. It didn’t feel right to let Riku leave on such a sour note, when he had only been trying to _help_. “Thank you, for coming to see me today.”

“Of course I would, but...” Riku doesn’t sound happy. “I couldn’t do anything for you.”

There’s a sense of helplessness in his voice, and Tenn wondered if this is the same helplessness he’d often felt when they were kids and he sat by Riku’s beside, holding his hand and unable to take away his pain. He closed his eyes.

“It’s enough. Visiting, coming to see you...that was about the extent of what I was able to do for you back then, too. I left snowmen on your windowsill back then, but you still weren’t able to go outside, or–” The thought alone was enough to hurt, and Tenn quickly cut himself off before changing the subject. “Nevermind.”

Riku must’ve caught the edge to his voice. When he spoke again, he sounded contemplative. “I’m a lot better now, Tenn-nii.”

“I know.”

“...And I liked those little snowmen you used to make.”

Tenn huffed. “They were misshapen. Not cute at all.”

“No, they were very cute,” Riku disagreed, with more fire to his voice this time. “They kept me company and when I looked at them, I felt like Tenn-nii was right there with me. Hey,” he pressed on. “We made a snowman together for the first time yesterday. I have to go finish my shoot now, but get better soon so we can do it again, okay?”

~*~*~*~

That night, when he approached the window to pull the curtains shut, an unexpected sight caused Tenn to stop dead in his tracks.

There, on the windowsill, sat two tiny snowmen with black pebble eyes and stubby twig arms. Twin ribbons of red and pink wrapped around their necks; a set of matching scarves.

~*~*~*~

 _You have one new message from [ Tenn-nii ]:_  
_ > [ Image attached ] _ _  
_ “Thank you, Riku.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello! This is Hallie, and I'm so happy to have the chance to participate in the i7flashbang, with my lovely partner **[@winterdesire007](https://twitter.com/winterdesire007)** and her beautiful art! Please check out her twitter and give her lots of love~
> 
> This fic was inspired by the "Winter Wonderland" set. As usual, I'm **[@rhythmxecho](https://twitter.com/rhythmxecho)** on twitter. Thanks for reading!


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